Christmas Under Fire (1941)
Posted By: admin | 2009.11.21
Despite the Blitz, it’s ‘business as usual’ as England prepares for Christmas in this propaganda film intended for US audiences. It’s a Christmas of holly and barbed wire, guns and tinsel, yet the British, we are told, are determined to make it as cheerful as possible. “England is fighting for her life”, asserts the American narrator, but it is admiration rather than pity that the film seeks to evoke. The filmmakers achieve this with emotions bigger than most 10-minute films could contain …
25 Comments:
jakarnilson / December 24, 2008 5:30 pm
Interesting and touching.
Didn’t know that they actually had toy sets of the Maginot Line. Eat your heart out, G.I.Joe Command Center!
stonecoldtimworden / December 24, 2008 5:32 pm
This was a very great video to watch, to show the trials faced by many during the War. C.S. Lewis echoes these themes, if you’ll notice, in his great classic.
iLoveJbMcFlYTakeThat / December 24, 2008 9:33 pm
Its really touching, having an English family.. But the Americans narraters voice is kind of creepy…lol
RENFEMikado / December 25, 2008 2:42 am
if only we Anglo Saxons could stand so strong against our enemies today, both foreign and DOMESTIC…
Commentarian1 / December 25, 2008 12:41 pm
OMG… LOL.. you just said “we Anglo Saxons”. I am sure at one point in history the Angles said “If only we could stand strong against the Saxons”….
Commentarian1 / December 25, 2008 12:53 pm
My grandmother was a German American farm girl at the time. They were too busy tending to the dairy and farm to care much about Christmas but they had plenty and I think it is because they were not afraid of anything, especially grueling manual labor.
GARYMOORE1952no1fan / December 31, 2008 6:42 pm
my mum was 15 and had to step over all the ppl undergound to go to work
tubi333 / January 1, 2009 11:32 pm
An impressing movie full of strenghth, hope and faith. @ RENFEMikado: make your perspective wider: If only we western nations could stand so strong today against our cultural and religious decay, we would exist another 2000 years. The foundation of everything: 7:37
wallygator100 / January 27, 2009 8:50 pm
A wonderful film that was no doubt instrumental in getting our friends stateside to help us in our darkest hour.
AHPMB / February 3, 2009 1:34 pm
This is why the Brits won the propaganda war over the Germans, they clearly understood audiences at home and abroad and how to appeal to them.
celticlofts / February 6, 2009 12:04 am
That’s not exactly true. Propaganda is used to boost morale at home rather than counter the opposing side. Germany used propagada just as successfully as the British or anyone else.
AHPMB / February 8, 2009 11:20 pm
Very true, but both the British and Germans shipped their propaganda overseas. Goebbels himself commented on a Hitchcock made propaganda movie with the phrase, “Why can’t we do that?” German propaganda was always based around a very teutonic point of view, the British knew how to appeal to a wide western audience, especially the United States.
2QBUFF / February 23, 2009 9:39 pm
Charged with keeping a torturous grip on Liberty …Well nothings changed then …Except the face of the enemy NOW Its our own Politcians and Bankers ..It matters not one iotta how much they try and dumb down the youth with cheap drugs engineered social problems and a defunkt MTV Culture ..The TRUTH Propogandernised or not will always shine through ..Peace
mollynolan1 / March 17, 2009 8:37 pm
Thank you for sharing this video with us. It is a great cretit to the British people remaining so strong at the darkest hour and in this instant, providing Christmas for the children regardless of the war. These were tough times and people were great.
marvy1118 / March 20, 2009 3:27 pm
A stirring look at Formerly Great Britain in her darkest hour. Makes me proud to be of English blood.
ditkaq / April 1, 2009 4:02 pm
victory = enigma cracking
MegaBrits / April 23, 2009 8:11 pm
Plus RADAR and the Merlin engine as well.
SpotterOz / April 24, 2009 5:34 am
Yup, up until the 60’s, I recall seeing these and other ‘battle sets’ in Sears, Woolworth’s and other stores with toys.
Then the outsourcing to Japan, and Taiwan began and these magnificent hand painted relics disappeared.
SpotterOz / April 24, 2009 5:38 am
Oh it’s not so strange. They are acting out against the enemy in the only way available to them.
You see, back then Soldiers were truly heroes that kids held in respect and honor… Unlike todays society.
SpotterOz / April 24, 2009 5:41 am
Pewrhaps the “Old USA Way” needs to be rekindled and brought back to full flourish?
Marksism123 / May 1, 2009 4:04 pm
Propoganda. Its always a right laugh but sadly meanwhile on the continent in Christmas 1940 an almost unimaginable nightmare was coming true…
andrewdehart / August 17, 2009 8:09 am
From a former US sailor, thank God the British held on in those dark days of 1940-41. Your sacrafice saved many British and American lives and millions their freedom on the continent from the Iron Curtain. Thanks for posting.
MartinHH1953 / August 31, 2009 12:03 am
The village church scenes were filmed, I believe, in the village of Turville in Oxfordshire.
Check out the brilliant 1942 propaganda film made by Cavalcanti, (a Brazilian), entitled “Went the Day Well?”
Filmed entirely in Turville.
This is also the village, but particularly the church, where the BBC filmed “The Vicar of Dibley,” starring Dawn French.
stokecitysupporter / September 22, 2009 2:54 pm
God bless them all.
groeslon / September 30, 2009 11:37 pm
Life was shit under the Conservatives.